Turtle Beach, a maker of popular gaming headsets, has acquired Neat Microphones, a company that made waves with its unique-looking microphones for broadcasters and podcasters.
Originally launched by musical instrument manufacturer Gibson, Neat’s Widget microphone line looked like something Jessica Rabbit would sing into in Toontown. Founded by the co-founder of Blue Microphones Skipper Wise, the company recently released the Bee Line, a collection of desktop and portable microphones in bold yellow and black. The engineer behind Blue Microphones, Martins Sulespurens, is also moving to Turtle Beach in the acquisition.
“We are entering the growing global streaming and microphone market with two significant advantages – the visionary leadership and engineering expertise behind some of the most renowned mics of the past 30-plus years, and Neat‘s impressive 2021 product lineup,” said Juergen Stark, Turtle Beach CEO. “We’re thrilled to welcome Skipper Wise, Martins Saulespurens, and the rest of the Neat Microphones team to the Turtle Beach family.”
The microphones are priced in the $US140 ($181) range and are aimed at digital broadcasters who are looking for a unique, visually-arresting microphone with USB capabilities. With podcasting seemingly more popular than ever there’s a big demand for an easy to use and good sounding microphone. That these also look interesting feels almost like a bonus.
The companies did not reveal the terms of the acquisition.
[referenced id=”915961″ url=”https://gizmodo.com.au/2015/10/gibson-wants-your-desktop-mic-to-sound-better-and-look-sleeker/” thumb=”https://gizmodo.com.au/wp-content/uploads/2015/10/28/1494086568575509797-300×169.jpg” title=”Gibson Wants Your Desktop Mic To Sound Better And Look Sleeker” excerpt=”Do you see the microphone built into your laptop? No? That’s because it’s incredibly tiny, and probably sounds equally unimpressive. Gibson’s Neat Microphones brand wants to change that with a trio of colourful new mics that promise to make you sound better on your next Skype call or podcast.”]
Editor’s Note: Stay tuned for local Australian pricing and availability.